Alta Environmental Center

Alta Environmental Center Our mission is Sustainability - To protect and improve the well being of Alta's environment, ski industry and community.

The AEC is Alta Ski Area's sustainability department and this is our philosophy – as we pursue Our Mission:
We believe an efficient, profitable ski area is a necessary foundation to support many worthy environmental efforts. The Alta Environmental Center will guide these efforts towards sustainability and will look after the natural environment in which we operate. Our skiers, as part of our econo

mic and social foundation, look to us to be stewards of national lands. We--Alta employees--will use the Environmental Center to help us be better stewards in our life and in our positions at Alta. The Environmental Center will work to have our departments, employees, and skiers do the work and share in the ownership, implementation and success of projects and programs. Our process in guiding us towards sustainability and a higher standard of project selection will include our "triple-triple" bottom line analysis. Along with our internal efforts, we will look at our local, national and world communities and environments to see where and when we may be part of broader efforts for the common well-being.

What makes Alta an iconic, year-round recreation hub—high altitude, extreme weather patterns and a rugged mountain envir...
05/29/2026

What makes Alta an iconic, year-round recreation hub—high altitude, extreme weather patterns and a rugged mountain environment—is also what makes it a challenging for many species of plants, wildlife and even humans to call this place home. So how do we know the native seedlings we spend hundreds of hours planting will survive?

To give them the best chance, we start with genetics. Each fall, the AEC crew hand-collects roughly 14,000 seeds from different native species growing across Alta’s slopes. These seeds—which are genetically adapted to thrive in the mountains—spend their winter growing down valley before returning to Alta in the spring, ready to be planted in restoration zones by our crew and community volunteers.

Last summer marked the first year of restoration at the Big and Little Griz ski conveyors sites. During our monthly Community Volunteer Day with we planted hundreds of seedlings into this rocky, dry soil. Today, those plants are making their debut after a long winter’s nap. Over the next two years, this site will receive hundreds more native seedlings along with ongoing invasive species management.

Stay tuned for more updates. 🌱

Micro-trash has a macro impact on our environment.  Micro-trash refers to small pieces of litter that often go unnoticed...
05/26/2026

Micro-trash has a macro impact on our environment.
 
Micro-trash refers to small pieces of litter that often go unnoticed—including candy wrappers, bottle caps, can tabs, sunflower seeds and even orange peels. Despite their size, these items can harm to our land, water and wildlife. 🍫
 
Animals often mistake these tiny bits for food—leading to the ingestion of plastics, glass and toxins. These not-so-tasty treats can be a choking hazard or cause internal blockages.  
 
Alta is a protected watershed that provides drinking water to thousands of people every day, so we like our water clean and microtrash-free. Over time, microplastics accumulate and can disrupt the delicate balance of our watershed.
 
Next time you venture around Alta, take a moment to look closely at the ground. If you spot any of these tiny pieces of waste, please pick it up and dispose of it properly—regardless of their size. 🚮 🌱

Rise and shine ✨  After a long siesta, it’s time for these yellow-bellied marmots to get back to business—searching for ...
05/21/2026

Rise and shine ✨
 
After a long siesta, it’s time for these yellow-bellied marmots to get back to business—searching for food and some ladies. As the snow melts, they emerge from their dark tunnels and begin feasting on grassy vegetation to regain their strength and plump up after eight months in hibernation.
 
But eating isn’t the only thing that keeps these polyamous rodents busy, as spring is the prime mating season. Roughly 30 days after impregnating up to four female mates, the gestation period ends and a lively brood of three to eight pups is born to each mother. These baby mamas will spend 40 days of quality family time in their burrows, nurturing their young ones before sending them out to explore rugged Alta on their own.

In the summer, you’ll spot them sunbathing near rocky “motels,” where entire families will live. If you can’t see them, you’ll definitely hear their loud shrieks to alert you of their presence.

We depend on this land to enjoy deep powder turns, vibrant wildflowers and other wonders of the Wasatch mountains. In re...
05/19/2026

We depend on this land to enjoy deep powder turns, vibrant wildflowers and other wonders of the Wasatch mountains. In return, the land relies on us to be good stewards while in nature’s playground.
 
At the core of this intricate ecosystem are the trees—they ground us, purify the air we breathe and filter the water we drink. Trees provide shelter and food for wildlife and help stabilize snow and soil on steep slopes. Following years of extensive logging in Little Cottonwood Canyon during the mining boom, the slopes were left barren—with only a few lucky Limber pines clinging to the ridgelines. In 1931, the Civilian Conservation Corps began planting trees across Alta’s slopes, working to repair the damage done to this delicate ecosystem and to restore a landscape where people and nature could thrive together once again.

📸: Alan Engen Ski History Collection

We are honored to share that Alta Ski Area and the Alta Environmental Center has received the National Ski Areas Associa...
05/12/2026

We are honored to share that Alta Ski Area and the Alta Environmental Center has received the National Ski Areas Association’s 2026 Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence. 🦅

Created in 1993, the NSAA Golden Eagle Awards celebrate ski areas working to raise the bar for sustainability and environmental stewardship across the industry.

This recognition reflects decades of restoration, education, partnership and care for the mountain we all love. But more than anything, it reflects the people behind the work. Thank you to our past and present AEC crew members, fellow Alta employees, partner organizations and the entire Alta community.

We’re proud to continue the legacy built by those before us and remain committed to a greener, more resilient Alta for generations to come. 🌱

Celebrating Mother Nature—the mother we all share and love. 🌎🌱🌲🌞🌻📸:
05/10/2026

Celebrating Mother Nature—the mother we all share and love. 🌎🌱🌲🌞🌻

📸:

At Alta, birding isn’t just a phase—it’s a lifestyle. We’re swapping out our ski boots for something a little more comfo...
05/03/2026

At Alta, birding isn’t just a phase—it’s a lifestyle.

We’re swapping out our ski boots for something a little more comfortable as we kick off our summer Birding Hikes with this Thursday, May 7th. Each month, we’ll explore Alta’s summer trails with Conservation Ecologist and birding guru Bryant Olsen, who will teach us how to identify our avian residents by sight and sound. These hikes are a great way to get outside with Alta’s vibrant birding community and learn something new.

📆: Second Thursdays of the month | May-November
⏰: 9am-1pm
📝: Registration is required—link in bio

Much like their adventurous cousins, the Grey-Crowned and Black Rosy finches, the Cassin’s finch can be found in high el...
04/29/2026

Much like their adventurous cousins, the Grey-Crowned and Black Rosy finches, the Cassin’s finch can be found in high elevations. 
 
Cassin’s finch isn’t quite as burly as the Rosy finch—who prefers a powder day over a summer stroll.
 
In Alta, these finches dash around in small flocks, gossiping as they navigate the treetops of the higher-elevation forests filled with pines, firs and aspens. The males showcase striking red crown feathers thanks to carotenoid pigments—which they gain by feasting on colorful foods like orange berries. Meanwhile, the females opt for a subtler look with warm brown streaks.
 
These blushing birds have a bit of a salty tooth and are often spotted indulging in mineral deposits on the ground rather than seeking out sweet treats.

📸:

As we roll into closing weekend, please help us keep Alta green and clean.  🚮 Clean up after yourself—and others—to help...
04/24/2026

As we roll into closing weekend, please help us keep Alta green and clean.
 
🚮 Clean up after yourself—and others—to help leave it better than you found it.

🌱To give sensitive vegetation a fighting chance, please do not venture off the beaten path.
 
💧Remember, you’re recreating on drinking water. Before leaving anything behind, ask yourself: Would I drink this?
 
🚘 The UTA ski bus has wrapped up for the season. Carpool with friends—the more the merrier.
 
♻️ Post-weekend, stash your Alta card safely and reload it online or at any ticket office next season. If you’re done with it, recycle it at a lift base or ticket office.
 
Check the link in our bio for more tips and tricks on how to end the ski season sustainably.

Behind the scenes of our annual Tree Planting Day 🌲A big thank you to our community, partners— & —and fellow Alta employ...
09/25/2025

Behind the scenes of our annual Tree Planting Day 🌲

A big thank you to our community, partners— & —and fellow Alta employees for making this day possible. Here’s to planting more trees for years to come.

Address

Highway 210 Little Cottonwood Canyon
Alta, UT
84092

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(801) 832-1700

Website

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